Australian retail turnover rose 4.6 per cent in November 2013, seasonally adjusted, compared to November 2012, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
Month on month sales also increased, rising 0.7 per cent in November 2013, seasonally adjusted, following a rise of 0.5 per cent in October 2013. Total retail spending was $22.459 billion in November, up from $22.305 billion in October.
Russell Zimmerman, executive director for the Australian Retailers Association, said the 0.7 percent increase is a positive sign that retailers can expect even higher results in December, when the majority of Australians start their Christmas shopping.
“Anecdotally, a number of retailers I have spoken to since Christmas have been blown away by how enormous Boxing Day was and how successful sales have been over the last two weeks. We hope this will be evident in December’s retail trade figures,” Zimmerman said.
“The ARA is looking forward to the official pre and post-Christmas sales results which will be released in February and March.”
Cafes, restaurants, and takeaway food services saw the largest increase for November at 2.2 per cent($3.12 billion), followed by other retailing, 2.1 per cent ($3.21 billion); clothing, footwear, and personal accessory retailing, 1.7 per cent ($1.74 billion); and household goods retailing, 0.7 per ($3.72 billion).
A decline in sales was witnessed by department stores, which fell 2.0 per cent ($1.51 billion); and food retailing, which declined by 0.1 per cent ($9.12 billion).
Over the longer term, in dollar movements, cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services is the strongest contributor to growth, up 1.1 per cent in trend terms.
Turnover rose in the Northern Territory by 1.7 per cent, 1.3 per cent in Western Australia, 0.9 per cent in Victoria and South Australia, 0.5 per cent in Queensland and Tasmania, and 0.4 per cent in New South Wales,
These rises were partially offset by a fall in the Australian Capital Territory of 0.2 per cent.
The ABS also released domestic sales data for the first time, showing Australians spent more than $2.7 billion online from March to September 2013, reflecting an increase of 12 per cent over that same period.
“While the results are significant the figure represents less than two per cent of total spend across the sector. It’s important to note that this is the first time this data has been collected, and we suspect the proportion is somewhat higher, in the five to six per cent range,” said Russell Goss, deputy chief of the Australian National Retail Association (ANRA).
“While the bulk of retail spending still taking place in bricks and mortar stores, online retail spending is a rapidly growing part of the retail sector,” said Goss.
“Retailers now have their eyes firmly focused on the end of year results with today’s figures putting the sector in step to easily record a four per cent increase in turnover for the year – the best result the sector has seen since 2009.”
